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Collection by Octavio Roca

Casas Antiguas

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The <i>shagkor</i>’s plastered-clay walls are painted a vibrant yellow ocher with traditional scenes of Bhutan’s four mythical animals: Snow Lion, Tiger, Dragon, and Garuda (an eagle-like bird). In Buddhist mythology, these creatures are the Four Guardians of the cardinal directions and some of Buddha’s earliest followers. They also represent the sacred qualities bodhisattvas develop on the path to enlightenment, including wisdom, generosity, power, and humility. Detailed frescoes depicting these four creatures commonly adorn the walls of temples and entryways within ancient Bhutanese fortresses.
shagkor
In 2016, Choden and Roder repurposed the L-shaped <i>shagkor </i>enclosing the <i>utse </i>into a guesthouse to support the manor’s maintenance costs. The two-story building has eight guest rooms in addition to a dining room, kitchen, and common area. The Ogyen Choling Heritage House also includes four bedrooms in a separate guesthouse, as well as two in an adjoining hermitage. All of the rooms have attached bathrooms with toilets and showers imported from Switzerland. Water is heated by solar energy for every guest room except the two in the hermitage. Traditional Bhutanese architecture employs rammed earth construction, stone masonry, and intricate woodwork around the windows and roofs. All timber work relies on tight joins; structures are built without nails or screws.
shagkor
Central Bhutan enjoys cool year-round temperatures due to its high altitude. (The Tang Valley sits at around 9,186 feet above sea level.) To cope with the cooler temps, the Bhutanese have made chilies an integral part of their cuisine. Brave visitors can try Bhutan’s national dish, <i>ema datshi</i>, a fiery combination of spicy chilies and cheese made from goat, cow, or, more frequently, yak milk. Ogyen Choling guests gather for family-style meals served on a patio and its adjoining kitchen, where villagers who work on the property turn vegetables from the garden into hearty Bhutanese staples. Choden’s Swiss husband, Walter Roder, cultivates fresh produce in the garden, such as tibia-size carrots, tomatoes, leeks, and cauliflower.
ema datshi
Ogyen Choling is surrounded by a village of 22 households with mostly farmers and herders. When viewed from the southern fields, it is said, the hill resembles the crest of an elephant, an auspicious Buddhist symbol. According to tradition, this was one of the reasons Tibetan Buddhist master and philosopher Longchen Rabjam founded the estate here. Experiencing life in the village can feel like a journey into the past: Modern amenities like electricity only reached the area in 2008, with sparse mobile network coverage following in 2010. Before 1984, when a bridge for cars was built over the Tang Chhu River, the only way to reach the village was by a seven-hour walk along a mountain path from Jakar, the district capital.
Ogyen Choling is surrounded by a village of 22 households with mostly farmers and herders. When viewed from the southern fields, it is said, the hill resembles the crest of an elephant, an auspicious Buddhist symbol. According to tradition, this was one of the reasons Tibetan Buddhist master and philosopher Longchen Rabjam founded the estate here. Experiencing life in the village can feel like a journey into the past: Modern amenities like electricity only reached the area in 2008, with sparse mobile network coverage following in 2010. Before 1984, when a bridge for cars was built over the Tang Chhu River, the only way to reach the village was by a seven-hour walk along a mountain path from Jakar, the district capital.
Ogyen Choling’s four-story <i>utse </i>(central tower) anchors the inner courtyard, which is typical for traditional Bhutanese fortresses.
utse